Tourist arrivals in Vietnam soar to record levels

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

October's visitor numbers are up 34% from the year ago October. Asia supplies most of the visitors, says the VN stats office, with the Chinese leading the way ahead of S Korea, Taiwan and Japan, with Hong Kong rising.

 

https://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/537639/vn-tourism-sector-sets-new-record-for-foreign-arrivals.html#mFShSDM4mRbbCoXv.97

 

Here are some numbers based on nationalities. Europeans and North Americans show healthy increases. 

 

https://tradingeconomics.com/vietnam/tourist-arrivals

 

And UKers are showing a very keen interest, posting a 13.6% increase. Interestingly, VN Tourism has just opened its very "first overseas" tourist office in London. 

 

Knock, knock, Thailand. 

[petermik]

But will TAT take any notice,and wonder why....nah...fat chance

[Ron jeremy]

Neighbouring countries are now capitalizing on Thailand’s greed, and other factors.

and the fact it is simply better value elsewhere.

i feel sorry for the Thai people relying on tourists for income, but they are as much to blame, price gouging from the gals and businesses, I’m not shedding any tears, you reap what you sow! Thailand’s day in the sun has come and gone!
it’s going to be a hell of a long time to bail the sinking ship.

[PatOngo]

13 minutes ago, Ron jeremy said:

i feel sorry for the Thai people relying on tourists for income

I don't!

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

I'm no fan of Vietnamese immigration but the many times I've been through SGN airport this year, every passport control desk is occupied, many of them with two officers handling visitors. They have to do so with the hundreds of travellers lined up. The officers are every quick about it, too. I've also heard the Visa on Arrival service is much quicker than it used to be.

 

 

[holy cow cm]

Just got back and there are lots of foreign white tourists there amongst the Asian ones. I always enjoy going as just is a breath of fresh air and fun with a great feeling

[madmen]

"The General Statistics Office (GSO) yesterday released the figures
Read more at http://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/537639/vn-tourism-sector-sets-new-record-for-foreign-arrivals.html#YuYTFHLgeYvASG6f.99"

 

Vietnam's equivalent to TAT

????

[hansnl]

17 hours ago, PatOngo said:

I don't!

Well, I do.

Why?

They too are ripped off by the big businesses.........

[phantomfiddler]

At some point or other any country is going to have to work out how many tourists it can sensibly handle ! Saturation only produces huge problems with garbage and damage to the environment, as experienced in Pattaya ???? and yet they seek more !

[hansnl]

17 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

Neighbouring countries are now capitalizing on Thailand’s greed, and other factors.

and the fact it is simply better value elsewhere.

i feel sorry for the Thai people relying on tourists for income, but they are as much to blame, price gouging from the gals and businesses, I’m not shedding any tears, you reap what you sow! Thailand’s day in the sun has come and gone!
it’s going to be a hell of a long time to bail the sinking ship.

Not only neighbouring countries.

It seems the Phillipines have an uptick of new expats coming in.

[Ventenio]

This is why you should re-think buying a house in Thailand, or really settling down.  Thailand was the best, now it's probably not.  No worries, Vietnam!!!  To be free means you go where you think (after considerable thought) you might be happier and have a better overall life.  Sure, my Thai won't help me much, but that's OK.  I feel bad for the old guys in Chiang Mai who will suffer 20 more years because they are afraid of change.  

[baansgr]

11 minutes ago, hansnl said:

Not only neighbouring countries.

It seems the Phillipines have an uptick of new expats coming in.

Condos in AC sold out befor the piling starts....resales snapped up...compare that to Jomtien with 50% lower resale prices than three years ago, about says it all....thats not to mention that a BK extra long chicken burger is 99 PHP..about 60 baht compared to 200 in Thailand...San Mig light in a bar at 18 baht compared to the mad prices in Thailand...clothes, dental work, opticians at a fraction of the cost here....oh....and easier visas available.

[soistalker]

I lived in Vietnam for about 4 years. We used to go to the beach at night a few times a week, easy when living 200 meters from the beach, and drink beer on the sand by the moonlight. Try that anywhere there is a beach in Thailand and you might not make it home.

[saengd]

17 hours ago, madmen said:

"The General Statistics Office (GSO) yesterday released the figures
Read more at http://vietnamnews.vn/life-style/537639/vn-tourism-sector-sets-new-record-for-foreign-arrivals.html#YuYTFHLgeYvASG6f.99"

 

Vietnam's equivalent to TAT

????

Exactly, no possible spin there then.

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

57 minutes ago, soistalker said:

I lived in Vietnam for about 4 years. We used to go to the beach at night a few times a week, easy when living 200 meters from the beach, and drink beer on the sand by the moonlight. Try that anywhere there is a beach in Thailand and you might not make it home.

 

And pay a pittance for the beers. I forget the Circle K price of a regular beer, but many bars in Vung Tau charge 100,000 VND for a five-beer ticket. That's US$4.30 or 130 baht, making that 26 baht a beer. The CK beer prices are even less. Here in Bangkok, you pay 120 baht for an ordinary beer at any (corporate) pub you care to name. 

[terryw]

I have been work based in Vietnam for 10 years. There has been a massive increase in tourism during that period.

 

My wife is Thai so we regually visit Thailand, so I can compare the two countries.

 

Despite the well documented problems in Thailand I would still choose it for a holiday before Vietnam.

 

On this forum I frequently read starry eyed viewpoints about Vietnam. The fact is that it is an interesting place to visit and I would always encourage people to go there.

 

However, the Vietnamese tourism industry continues to be plagued by bad service standards, poor infrastructure and increasing pollution especially in tourist areas. A culture of quick profit with little thought for the customer underlines the whole industry. Overcrowding in popular places such as Hoi An and Da Lat are becoming a significant problem.

 

Next year we will definately holiday in Thailand which despite rising costs still remains a good value for money destination.

 

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

@terrywI agree with your views of Thailand and Vietnam. The "quick profit" VN culture is a killer of return tourists. 

[Caldera]

As with Thailand's infamous TAT statistics, I'm wondering: I've visited Vietnam three times this year - do I count as a single visitor from my home country, or do they actually count the number of arrivals and I've been counted thrice?

[spidermike007]

5 hours ago, baansgr said:

Condos in AC sold out befor the piling starts....resales snapped up...compare that to Jomtien with 50% lower resale prices than three years ago, about says it all....thats not to mention that a BK extra long chicken burger is 99 PHP..about 60 baht compared to 200 in Thailand...San Mig light in a bar at 18 baht compared to the mad prices in Thailand...clothes, dental work, opticians at a fraction of the cost here....oh....and easier visas available.

Yeah but if were not for the women, who would want to live in the PI? The entire country is like one big Tijuana. Horrific food, even worse than Cuba. And San Miguel is not even brewed. 

[Pattaya46]

23 hours ago, Ron jeremy said:

I feel sorry for the Thai people relying on tourists for income,

Why feel sorry for Thai? Increase of tourists in Vietnam doesn't mean decrease of tourists in Thailand!

In fact the number of Asian people doing foreign tourism increases every year, so no surprise that tourism increase in Vietnam, as it increases in Thailand and neighbouring countries.

[Pattaya46]

5 hours ago, baansgr said:

...compare that to Jomtien with 50% lower resale prices than three years ago, about says it all.... 

I would be curious to see the source of this ridiculous statement 

[holy cow cm]

4 hours ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

 

And pay a pittance for the beers. I forget the Circle K price of a regular beer, but many bars in Vung Tau charge 100,000 VND for a five-beer ticket. That's US$4.30 or 130 baht, making that 26 baht a beer. The CK beer prices are even less. Here in Bangkok, you pay 120 baht for an ordinary beer at any (corporate) pub you care to name. 

As was just there and at a Circle K 2 days ago, the Saigon beer is 15000 dong and 333 which I think a better beer at 13000 dong or about 17 baht..  I am stuck here with family, but IK can honestly say that I love Vietnam and if I ever get a problem from not being able to live here because of stupid insurance3 or they raise the bar higher than I can jump, I would in a minute go live there. I have a multy entry 1 year visa that was sooo easy and cheap. 

[holy cow cm]

4 hours ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

 

And pay a pittance for the beers. I forget the Circle K price of a regular beer, but many bars in Vung Tau charge 100,000 VND for a five-beer ticket. That's US$4.30 or 130 baht, making that 26 baht a beer. The CK beer prices are even less. Here in Bangkok, you pay 120 baht for an ordinary beer at any (corporate) pub you care to name. 

Yeah and it is true. Thailand is a full rip off now. And the beer is so much more better than Thailand. Vung Tau is fun for a free day’s. Great seafood 

[Ron jeremy]

5 hours ago, terryw said:

I have been work based in Vietnam for 10 years. There has been a massive increase in tourism during that period.

 

My wife is Thai so we regually visit Thailand, so I can compare the two countries.

 

Despite the well documented problems in Thailand I would still choose it for a holiday before Vietnam.

 

On this forum I frequently read starry eyed viewpoints about Vietnam. The fact is that it is an interesting place to visit and I would always encourage people to go there.

 

However, the Vietnamese tourism industry continues to be plagued by bad service standards, poor infrastructure and increasing pollution especially in tourist areas. A culture of quick profit with little thought for the customer underlines the whole industry. Overcrowding in popular places such as Hoi An and Da Lat are becoming a significant problem.

 

Next year we will definately holiday in Thailand which despite rising costs still remains a good value for money destination.

 

The service is fabulous in Vietnam in my experience, smiling faces , very welcoming, and they seem genuinely happy to have my business 

unlike Thailand.

i have no idea where u experienced bad service. Not saying it didn’t happen.

i regularly visit both countries and can tell you this.

poor infrastructure? Never seen flooded streets in Vietnam?????

s culture of quick profit??

thailand wins this by a country mile.

sounds like a response from yet another disgruntled Thai business owner!

[Mister T]

I too just spent 10 days in and around Da Nang checking out options. Found the food about the same price as Thai, hotels around the same. Garbage truck came to our street twice a day, beaches and ocean were a lot better than Thai. Cold tiger cans were 23 baht at the restaurant near my hotel, imported ciggies 50 baht. I rented a motorbike at 200 baht a day. Felt a lot safer riding there than in Thailand, it all just flows and merges like a river going around a bridge pylon. I think it will be screwed in 2 to 5 years due to the roaring development of hotels and resorts. Chinese and Korean package tours are everywhere, went to the Horizon bar at the Sheraton four points, great spot but only six patrons. I asked the staff if the hotel was empty, she said it was full but they did not use internal bars and restaurants, all were bussed to foreign owned eateries and shops.

 

The locals were all open and friendly with genuine smiles, never felt ripped off or in danger anywhere, a bit like Thailand when I first came 20 years ago.

If they come up with a long stay visa for the right price I will jump ship from here.

 

Used my BKK bank atm card 3 times and took out 2 million dong each time and recorded the fees.

Seabank fee was 64 baht

Sacombank no fee

BKK bank hit me 100 baht for each transaction

Exchange rate was 750vnd to the baht.

 

[madmen]

6 hours ago, Ventenio said:

This is why you should re-think buying a house in Thailand, or really settling down.  Thailand was the best, now it's probably not.  No worries, Vietnam!!!  To be free means you go where you think (after considerable thought) you might be happier and have a better overall life.  Sure, my Thai won't help me much, but that's OK.  I feel bad for the old guys in Chiang Mai who will suffer 20 more years because they are afraid of change.  

Not afraid of change but many have set down roots with a close circle of friends made up over many years and some have families and others have disabilities and end of the day the older you get the harder it is to start over. Who wants to be dumped at the airport with all your belongings in LAOS start over NOT ME besides all of its issues Thailand is by far the best in SE asia for the overall package, girls , infrastructure, and health care.

 

Why do you feel sorry for them/ I feel sorry for you that you no longer meet the Financial requirements and are forced.out ...Please dont reply with I have the money because those are the people that have grown to hate Thailand . Being forced out must suck and old dudes in CM would be having a good chuckle lol

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

Yeah and it is true. Thailand is a full rip off now. And the beer is so much more better than Thailand. Vung Tau is fun for a free day’s. Great seafood 

 

During a recent week in Pattaya, had some absolutely awful Tiger beer, much of it three to six months old, going by the fill date. The Viet Tiger is usually pretty good, as is the 333. Plus, if you're into craft beers, had some good ones in the many brew pubs of Saigon. And way WAY more affordable. The Saigon pub regular beers are "pricier" but still only 65 baht/50,000 VND. Good imported wines are absolutely giveaway cheap compared to the staggeringly over-priced wines on offer in Thailand. So I'm sure the tourists were happy.

[BritManToo]

Hanoi was packed with western tourists when I was there in October.

Thailand hasn't been like that since 2014.

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

Saigon pub regular beers are "pricier" but still only 65 baht/50,000 VND.

I was paying 18-25k for a 450ml bottle of Saigon Green.

Easily as good as Tiger/Leo.

[mike787]

No surprise, I was one of those stats that showed it soared.  Thailand’s days of hedonism have been destroyed by the power of baht, immigration enforcement, etc....party is over.  Only good to visit for 30 days.